University Avenue and Johnson Street will be seeing heavy construction this summer as work begins on building an underground utility tunnel to aid in new construction.

Members of the Joint Southeast Campus Area Committee met Monday evening to go over plans and schedules for the construction of the tunnels and University Square, as well as the demolition of Ogg Hall and the Peterson Building.

According to Associate Vice Chancellor Alan Fish, the East Campus Utility Project, which is scheduled to start this summer, will include underground utilities with a walkable tunnel. Fish said the main challenge will be completing the tunnel during construction of University Square, while the Ogg and Peterson buildings are being torn down.

The underground utility tunnel will go through the north side of Dayton Street and up to Langdon Street. The tunnel will house chilled water and steam units, as well as electric banks that will provide enough utility capacity for the next 30 years, according to Fish.

Fish said a construction crew will be working on the underground tunnel from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily for roughly a five-week period in the summer. The construction company received a noise permit from the city, which will allow them to do this work at night.

Lane closures on both University Avenue and Johnson Street will inevitably be a result of the construction, with at most two out of the four lanes being closed off. Pedestrian walkways will not be affected.

"We can send staff down those pipes on our own schedule, instead of tearing up that nice pedestrian mall," Fish said. "When everything is done, people will not even know they are driving over a tunnel, except maybe the concrete will be a little different."

The project is scheduled for completion in 2008, and another tunnel along Langdon Street, running from the Red Gym to the Education Building, will be completed in 2010.

Monday's meeting also included discussion about improving the parking lot across from Witte Hall, which has been the scene of drug trafficking and late-night attacks.

According to Rob Kennedy, a UW facilities, planning and management supervisor, the area will be repainted and will also feature new fluorescent lights, mirrors and landscaping to improve visibility.

The entire cost of the parking ramp project is $120,000-$160,000, but the final figures are yet to be determined. According to Kennedy, the project will commence almost immediately, or "as soon as the paint will accept the heat," and the plan is scheduled to be completed by this spring or early summer.

"We will have the same amount of police visitation as we do now to see if the improvements make a difference," Kennedy said.